Negotiating your worth: Tips on salary negotiation

Wednesday

Jul 25, 2007 at 12:01 AMJul 25, 2007 at 5:49 AM

There’s no avoiding the salary negotiation process once a formal offer is made. And a few tips can help you navigate the tricky business of bargaining.

With a loud snort and a flip of his trunk, an elephant nudges his head into a corner office. You and your potential employer eye one another from opposite sides of the desk, attempting to ignore the increasingly persistent pachyderm. But with total disregard for an expensive leather portfolio and Mr. Human Resource’s brass nameplate, the elephant forces his way onto the table.

You might have some reservations about broaching the unspoken matter of your monetary worth with an interviewer. But there’s no avoiding the salary negotiation process once a formal offer is made. And a few tips can help you navigate the tricky business of bargaining.

Do the research:

“Salaries vary by location as well as industry. ... Know the market. If you’re dealing with a nonprofit, the money is going to constituents and not administrators. But if you’re looking at a position at IBM selling widgets, profits are reported on NASDAQ, and you have a better idea if there’s any wiggle room. It’s not like bluffing during a hand of poker, because you know what your opponent is working with here.”

- Ita Fischer, director of the career services office at Wheaton College, which caters to students and alumni.

“The stats are all published. If you’re armed with that info ... you aren’t coming in with an inappropriately inflated number that makes you appear cocky or out of the loop.”

- Larry Carroll, executive director for the Center for Professional Excellence in Elmhurst and business administration professor.

Put the ball in their court:

If an application asks about a desired starting salary, leave it blank, Fischer suggested. That way you aren’t locked in before walking in the door.

“A candidate should never name a figure. If they’re pushing for an answer, say ‘What do you feel someone with my background is worth?’”

- David Helfand, author of “Career Change” and coordinator for Career Counseling at Northeastern Illinois University

Be upfront:

“You say, ‘I was thinking a little more. Can we talk about this?’ It’s all about the interpersonal skills. Go in and be direct as opposed to thinking ‘I want two (thousand dollars) more, so I’ll say four.’”

- Carroll

“I’d word it: ‘I’m really interested in working with you, but I’m a little disappointed with the baseline. Is there any room to maneuver?’ To make your case, stress your skills that will save the company money.”

- Bettina Seidman, former human resources employee, career management coach with Seidbet Associates and president of the national organization Career Counselors Consortium.

“If the negotiated number is low, say, ‘OK, when is the review process?’ That way you have a timeline for when you might be able to get to the next salary bracket. It also shows you’re in it for the long haul and looking to move up.”

- Fischer

Avoid starting off on the wrong foot:

“Don’t approach this like a real estate deal with an offer and counter offer, because now you’re sending the message that money is the most important thing. If the offer is $42,000 and you were looking for more, say ‘I was thinking closer to $45,000.’ They’ll give you a message verbally or otherwise that, one, ‘We’re not going to get there,’ or two, ‘We’ll see what we can do.’ If they come back with $43,000, you should take it. You shouldn’t say $44,500.”

- Carroll

“Think about the consequences if your request is denied. It could alienate your (new) boss. And are you ready to walk away if you make a hard-line demand and they don’t meet it?”

- Fischer

Other package factors:

Titles might be negotiable if there’s no room for a higher salary in the budget, Seidman said. Also, ask about tuition reimbursements, professional conferences and other perks like a company car, child care, pension and bonuses.

“Can you negotiate more time off instead of extra pay? Can you supplement your income when you’re off the clock? If you’re a therapist, maybe you can augment your paycheck by seeing patients from home during the evenings.”

- Fischer

In the end, feeling comfortable with what was negotiated is important.

“The down side of not taking care of it now is that you get raises based on a percent of your salary, so this has long-lasting implications when you’re with your employer,” Carroll said. “You might be tempted to take the job thinking ‘I’ll prove to ’em what I’m worth and eventually get more.’ It doesn’t happen. So straighten things out early on.”

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